Kansai International Airport’s fully refurbished Terminal 1 has opened to accommodate the millions of passengers expected to pass through the iconic building to attend World Expo in Osaka.

The new Terminal 1 includes a 60% increase in the size of the international departure lounge and retail offerings, the introduction of innovative retail layouts based on passenger experiences, and the creation of a seamless processing experience.

Kansai Airports and global design firm Populous have been working for more than seven years to completely reimagine the airport’s floor plan, bringing a new level of efficiency and experience for travellers to western Japan.

Populous led the architecture and interior design of the redevelopment, as well overseeing the project throughout construction.

The project was completed in four phases to allow for continued operations of the airport, which is expected to accommodate more than 40 million passengers a year from 2025 and almost double international capacity.

In October 2022, KIX opened the new Phase 1 domestic area followed by the new international area.

Phase 2 of the project was completed in December 2023, and included 6,650 square metres of additional airside retail outlets, 1,130 square metres of food and beverage space and a new centralised immigration area.

Phase 3 was completed on March 27, 2025, allowing the consolidation and extension of the security screening area to be ready before World Expo 2025 begins in April in Osaka.

Phase 3 includes faster, more comfortable and smoother security inspection with additional smart lanes capable of processing between 4,500 and 6,000 passengers an hour.

The new queuing management system is the first of its kind in Japan, automatically controlling flapper gates to switch waiting lines by utilising real-time passenger flow data.

The system enables passengers to be automatically guided to the security inspection lanes based on the number of passengers and their flow.

A new commercial area includes 13 stores across international departures, international arrivals and a street food court.

The project has already been recognised for its architectural vision as a finalist in the 2023 World Architecture Festival Awards for Future Projects – Infrastructure.

Regarded as part of the high-tech architecture movement of the 1990s, KIX’s industrial design is famous for its asymmetrical clear-span sweeping aerofoil roofline.

At 1.7km long, it is one of the longest airport passenger terminal buildings in the world.